Theorising the Impacts of Polycrisis on Employment Relations: Complexity and Diversity at a Global Scale

This article argues that the polycrisis concepts provides an important lens for understanding contemporary employment relations. The authors suggest that the employment relationship is both a key site where the impacts of overlapping crises are experienced and a central mechanism through which capitalist economies generate profit and reproduce systemic vulnerabilities. Examining employment relations across different national contexts, the article assesses the extent to which existing employment relations and critical political economy theories can explain the current era of polycrisis. It proposes a multi-theory, multi-level analytical framework that highlights the diverse effects of polycrisis on work and employment, as well as the role of institutions, actors, and governance structures in shaping these outcomes, while identifying priorities for future research.